I wonder if anyone is able to give me any recent news on the proposed Prime Focus Productions TV series based on the Ankh-Morpork City Watch? As I understand it the series (if it is still going ahead) will probably consist of 13 episodes, each episode based on an original story.

"The main focus of the series will be set in the bustling, highly mercantile, largely untrustworthy and always vibrant city of Ankh Morpork and will follow the day-to-day activities of the men, women, trolls, dwarves, vampires and several other species who daily pound its ancient cobbles (and, of course, Igor in the forensics department). Terry commonly refers to the City Watch police force series "the jewels in his Discworld Crown". These richly developed and highly compelling characters will feature in a 'crime of the week' episodic storyline. As each weekly adventure unfolds, viewers will be taken on a ride through Pratchett's genius imagination, with the author overseeing the creation of the series, where wild and exciting encounters with werewolves, dragons, dwarfs, trolls and golems and the classic heroes and villains, are an everyday occurrence... many of whom even make outstanding crime fighters!"

(Discworld Monthly Extra, March 2011)

I'm sure we'd all love to see this project come to fruition. The casting would be interesting. Ian Richardson as Vetinary perhaps? (or maybe he's a little old for the part). Bernard Hill as Sam Vimes? Ingrid Bolsø Berdal as Angua again? (She played her in the mini-series of "Going Postal"). And where are you going to find a 6'6" actor to play Captain Carrot?

“The trouble with having an open mind, of course, is that people will insist on coming along and trying to put things in it.” (Terry Pratchett).

I suspect they're still in pre-pre-production at this stage. As far as I'm aware, Good Omens is going to be worked on first, and considering it's a lot of the same production and writing team, don't expect movement on The Watch until after Good Omens enters production.

Nullus Anxietas V - The Australian Discworld Convention10-12 April 2015Novotel Parramatta, New South Wales, Australiahttp://ausdwcon.org

Casting is something that interests me greatly. I'm involved in amateur theatre and have directed many productions and firmly believe that casting is at least 90% of the success of any production. I directed a production of Wyrd Sisters about 8 years ago which was very well received and the main reasons for that was I had a great Fool, Granny Weatherwax and Nanny Ogg.

“The trouble with having an open mind, of course, is that people will insist on coming along and trying to put things in it.” (Terry Pratchett).

I saw Ben Miller in the series 'Death in Paradise', don't know if anyone else has seen it, but he plays an English detective who has to work on a small island in the Caribbean. He wasn't much like Vimes in personality - being quite stuck up - but he has the same view of wanting justice and catching the right criminal, and going with his gut instinct, which is always (or mostly) right. So they're both policing roles, but i just have this mental image of Miller being this clean policeman which i cannot get out of my head - I shall have to see him in something else. I am curious to see how this turns out, even if it won't be for a while.

They did mention a serial adaptation of the Watch series at the Rotterdam convention (it was Rob I think when Pat Harkin Skyped him) and he said they were building a set for it somewhere (the interiors) I think, so it's certainly on the cards

"Some men see things as they are and ask why. Others dream things that never were and ask why not.” George Bernard Shaw

Jan Van Quirm wrote:They did mention a serial adaptation of the Watch series at the Rotterdam convention (it was Rob I think when Pat Harkin Skyped him) and he said they were building a set for it somewhere (the interiors) I think, so it's certainly on the cards

That's great to hear. They wouldn't go to the expense of building sets unless they were fairly sure it would go ahead. Thanks for that info.

Kin Arad wrote:I saw Ben Miller in the series 'Death in Paradise', don't know if anyone else has seen it, but he plays an English detective who has to work on a small island in the Caribbean. He wasn't much like Vimes in personality - being quite stuck up - but he has the same view of wanting justice and catching the right criminal, and going with his gut instinct, which is always (or mostly) right. So they're both policing roles, but i just have this mental image of Miller being this clean policeman which i cannot get out of my head - I shall have to see him in something else. I am curious to see how this turns out, even if it won't be for a while.

Ben Miller also played a fairly posh civil Servant in the science fiction series Primaeval but his natural accent isn't that refined. He's a very good character actor and I'm sure he's capable of roughening up a bit. Personally I think he'd be a great choice for the role. He has that cynical, world-weary look Sam Vimes needs.

“The trouble with having an open mind, of course, is that people will insist on coming along and trying to put things in it.” (Terry Pratchett).

The Watch, also based on a Pratchett novel that will star Only Fools & Horses alumnus David Jason

From discworld monthly taken from a Prime Focus press release. Seriously. Does David Jason have to pop up in all DW productions. And as who in this. At least it and Good Omens seem to be on track according to our beloved Administrators Magazine .

'There is no future for e-books, because they are not books. E-books smell like burned fuel.'Ray Bradbury (RIP)

It says:"[...] The first is Good Omens, based on Sir Terry Pratchett and Neil Gaiman’s novel of the same name; and The Watch, also based on a Pratchett novel. Only Fools and Horses actor David Jason is also lined up to star in another project."

So David Jason is /not/ specified as starring in either of the Pratchett projects, just another one that Prime Focus is producing. That's not to say that he /won't/ make an appearance (after Hogfather & TCOM), but that the line from DWM was slightly incorrect.

Nullus Anxietas V - The Australian Discworld Convention10-12 April 2015Novotel Parramatta, New South Wales, Australiahttp://ausdwcon.org

It says:"[...] The first is Good Omens, based on Sir Terry Pratchett and Neil Gaiman’s novel of the same name; and The Watch, also based on a Pratchett novel. Only Fools and Horses actor David Jason is also lined up to star in another project."

So David Jason is /not/ specified as starring in either of the Pratchett projects, just another one that Prime Focus is producing. That's not to say that he /won't/ make an appearance (after Hogfather & TCOM), but that the line from DWM was slightly incorrect.

I see that now. Wow thats a bad mis quote Jason whats goin on Ok we might be spared then

'There is no future for e-books, because they are not books. E-books smell like burned fuel.'Ray Bradbury (RIP)